freedom2live24

I'm confused. I just started my first drink after going almost three days without anything. When I go that long without drinking I feel good and clear-headed. Yet I still sometimes want to drink. I obviously have the willpower. A month ago I was drinking pretty much everyday from about 5 PM to midnight. But I've cut back considerably and don't drink everyday anymore. Why? I rather work on dealing with the negatives as opposed to masking them with alcohol. But every few days I drink. Not as much as I was, but at least a few drinks.

I like not drinking but at the same time I like drinking.


Some positives to point out:

- I'm not drinking everyday anymore.
- I'm more conscience of how much I'm drinking.
- I'm dealing with the things I was trying to mask with alcohol.
- I've been going anywhere's from a day and a half to three days without drinking.

Gottalife

Well done freedom. Many heavy drinkers can moderate if they have a good reason. Probably most people with diagnosable alcohol use disorder will resolve it by some form of moderation. Those who find they can't moderate generally have to stop for good.

freedom2live24

I think my tolerance is going down.

Chrissy2014

Ok so you're still drinking and confused? What's the plan for tomorrow? I wish you well.

Sent from my iPad using SoberRecovery

airwick

Don't think, don't drink

Fly N Buy

Sounds like you have your drinking figured out. Not sure what your confusion is?
If you can moderate and drink on the days you'd like to / cheers!

If when you drink you drink to excess or beyond what the plan was perhaps reevaluate.

I will comment - no judgement mid you - that it seems to be on your mind about drinking. This is atypical for those who can take it or leave it. Most normal drinkers would not think - hey, maybe I'll toss a couple posts on a recovery website stating my case!

Are you looking for reinforcement for your behaviors or do you think you have a problem?

Really no one can decide that but you.

Peace my friend - if you seek help it's here!

VikingGF

I liked drinking, too, until I didn't.

I hope moderation works for you, I have read that some people can do it.

Dee74

I think there's a danger is cutting back and thinking...oh well this is better and stopping there.

There's a world of difference between cutting back and not drinking...I can;t explain it any better than to say you're getting occasional fleeting glimpses of how good life could be right now...don't settle for that - shoot for the moon

You'll probably want to drink from time to time...that's pretty common. Learning to get through those cravings without giving in is a pretty neat skill to learn

there are some good tips here:
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...-cravings.html

D

gaffo

When I was a drinker, periods of moderation would be followed by intense abuse. It was like keeping a ferocious beast for a pet. That was just me. I'm glad that I finally quit for good. It makes me realize that I actually didn't like much of my drinking.

Nocturnal

Yep that sums me up....mutually assured destruction. God Bless

MelindaFlowers

I used to genuinely love drinking. This was when I felt satisfied with about six drinks. That's still a lot I know, but my life was great when I only drank this much. Hangovers were nonexistent and I got to reeeeelax in evening and hang out. I was an early stage alcoholic at this point.

The problem was that my tolerance kept going up so I had to drink more and more to get that same good feeling. And then the daily hangovers started. Headache, dehydration, fogginess. But I still liked drinking so I kept experimenting with upping the amount until 12 drinks no longer satisfied me. 15 made me pass out but what was missing at this point was the enjoyment. I didn't feel good after two, or four, or eight, or even twelve. I had drank my brain into oblivion to where the pleasure was lost. I was into middle stage alcoholism at this point.

Then, I stopped enjoying drinking. Hello end/late stage alcoholism! After 12 drinks the hangovers were something out of a horror movie. Sweating profusely at work, splitting headaches, severe dehydration.

If you're able to control it then more power to you. I used to be able to control it until I passed the point of no return. I hope you haven't reached that stage yet. It happens without even realizing it. It takes quite a bit of time.

Why not just try going without it for 90 days and see how you feel?

Johno1967

Good news if you have it under control. Maybe you just needed a jolt to correct a trend that may have led where it took me, alcoholism.
Let us know how it goes.

froggysock

Tomorrow a friend comes over with a case of beer. You drink and break your cycle... enough said.

Dee74

The hardest thing I ever had to do was send that friend and his case of beer away...but I'm glad I did.

D

MnEman

When I was at your stage I identified it as "controlled drinking". Still drinking a lot, but not enough to cause big problems. When I mentioned this once, they told me it was better than uncontrolled drinking- true enough, but it is not better than contented sobriety. Goodluck, Eric